Cuomo nominee would be first black woman on state's high court

8:50 PM,
Apr. 5, 2013

Written by

Jessica Bakeman
Albany Bureau

ALBANY Gov. Andrew Cuomo today nominated a state judge for the Court of Appeals who would be the first black woman to sit on the high court.

Cuomo nominated Sheila Abdus-Salaam, 61, of Manhattan, who is currently an associate justice of the state Supreme Court Appellate Division.

If confirmed by the state Senate, Abdus-Salaam would replace late Court of Appeals Associate Justice Theodore Jones of Rockland County, who died unexpectedly in November. She would be one of four women on the seven-member court, which has been operating at less than full strength since Jones' death. ...